Download GED Science Focus Sheet: Lesson 5 - PWCS-TV

CLN Televised Courses
GED Preparation/Science
Nina Beegle, Instructor
GED Science
Focus Sheet: Lesson 5
FOCUS:
•
•
•
Earth Science: Weather and Climate
Seasons of the Earth
Weather and meteorology
ISSUES/ACTIVITIES:
•
•
Vocabulary
Visit with meteorologists at the US Weather
Service
Seasons demonstration
Science in the Kitchen: making rain
Rain shadow effect, deserts
•
•
•
MATERIALS:
•
•
•
TEXTS:
•
El Nino – Vocabulary / Worksheet
Earth Science in the Kitchen: Making Rain
Weather Systems, Weather and Forecasts
worksheets
Contemporary’s GED Science:
 Earth’s Seasons, pp. 356-357
 Earth’s Weather, pp. 353-355
 Analyzing Science Material, pp. 67-94
•
Steck-Vaughn’s GED Science:
 Weather and Climate, pp. 126-135
•
SCANS
 Workplace Competencies
Information: C5, C7
 Foundation Skills:
Basic Skills: F1-F6
Thinking Skills: F7, F12
•
CASAS
 Community Resources
2.3.3 interpret information about
weather conditions
SKILLS AND STANDARDS:
CLN Televised Courses
GED Science
Nina Beegle, Instructor
GED Science
Assignment Sheet: Lesson 5
ASSIGNMENT
D ATE D U E
T EXTBOOKS :
C O N T E M P O R A R Y ’ S GED SCIENCE :
•
Earth’s Seasons, pp. 356-357
•
Earth’s Weather, pp. 353-355
•
Analyzing Science Material, pp. 67-94
S T E C K -V A U G H N ’ S GED S C I E N C E :
•
Weather and Climate, pp. 126-135
W ORKSHEETS :
• El Nino – Vocabulary / Worksheet
•
Weather Systems, Weather and
Forecasts worksheet
•
Earth Science in the Kitchen Activities
(Rain in a Jar, Stalactites & Stalagmites
and What causes Deltas)
RATINGS
1. I felt confident doing this assignment.
2. I was able to do the assignment, but it took a long time.
3. This assignment was very challenging to me
4. I need more explanation/practice in this area
5. I never want to do this again.
DONE
SCORE
COMMENTS
CLN Televised Courses
GED Science
Nina Beegle, Instructor
GED Science
Lesson 5: El Nino - Vocabulary / Worksheet
A.
1.
Match the following words with the correct definitions:
La Nina
a)
Originally referred to warmer than
normal sea temperatures in the
Pacific Ocean off the coast of South
America.
El Nino
b)
A sea-saw shift in surface air pressure
between Australia and Tahiti. If the
air pressure is high in Australia then it
is low in Tahiti, and vice-versa.
ENSO
c)
“Cold event” where the waters of the
Pacific are colder than normal that
frequently follows a “warm event.”
Jet Stream
d)
Imaginary line dividing warm water
on the surface of the ocean from the
cold water below.
Southern Oscillation
e)
Winds traveling over 57 mph at high
altitudes above the earth.
Thermocline
f)
Any consistent system of prevailing
winds that blow at low altitudes
across the surface of the earth.
Tradewinds
g)
Scientists use this term to refer to a
warm climatic event that happens
every 2-8 years.
In the narrowest sense, an El Nino is a giant pool of warm water 1 1/2 times
the size of the United States. Because the water is so warm, there are
continuous rain and thunderstorms over an El Nino. This water is like an
iceberg in that it floats on the surrounding ocean and is piled up about 150
centimeters (almost 5 feet) above sea level. Give two reasons why the El Nino
water is less dense than the surrounding ocean.
GED Science: Lesson 5 - El Nino, Vocabulary/Worksheet p. 2
2.
The Pacific tradewinds near the equator push the El Nino waters against
Indonesia and Australia, bringing the rainy season to these areas. However,
every 2-10 years the winds are not strong enough to “hold the wall of water
up, and it begins flowing back ‘downhill.’ Like a teeter-totter, what was high
becomes low, and what was low becomes high. Water levels actually dip below
sea level near Australia, and as the pile traverses the Pacific, waters rise in the
east near South America. ...In a sense, El Nino is like a slow-motion explosion
of pent-up heat that makes a violent killer out of a small tropical storm...” It
can bring drought Australia or life-giving rains to a Chilean desert.
From
a)
b)
c)
d)
3.
the above passage we can infer that:
El Nino is caused by global warming
El Nino is Spanish for “the Christ child.”
El Nino causes warm ocean water to flow down hill from the Western to
the Eastern Pacific and back again.
El Nino brings unseasonably wet weather around the world.
Look at this diagram of the changes in the path of the jet stream from a
normal year to an El Nino year. Keeping in mind that the jet stream divides
the cold Arctic air from the warm equatorial air, and that it is usually raining
over El Nino waters, how do you think the weather will be affected?
a)
in Peru (on the West Coast of South America)
b)
in the continental United States
CLN Televised Courses
GED Science
Nina Beegle, Instructor
GED Science
Lesson 5: El Nino - Vocabulary / Worksheet
Answer Key
A.
Match the following words with the correct definitions:
c
La Nina
a)
Originally referred to warmer than
normal sea temperatures in the
Pacific Ocean off the coast of South
America.
a
El Nino
b)
A sea-saw shift in surface air pressure
between Australia and Tahiti. If the
air pressure is high in Australia then it
is low in Tahiti, and vice-versa.
g
ENSO
c)
“Cold event” where the waters of the
Pacific are colder than normal that
frequently follows a “warm event.”
e
Jet Stream
d)
Imaginary line dividing warm water on
the surface of the ocean from the
cold water below.
b
Southern Oscillation
e)
Winds traveling over 57 mph at high
altitudes above the earth.
d
Thermocline
f)
Any consistent system of prevailing
winds that blow at low altitudes
across the surface of the earth.
f
Tradewinds
g)
Scientists use this term to refer to a
warm climatic event that happens
every 2-8 years.
GED Science: Lesson 5 - El Nino, Vocabulary/Worksheet Key p. 2
QUESTIONS:
1.
Give two reasons why the El Nino water is less dense than the surrounding
ocean.
Answers will vary. Possible answers might include:
Warmer water is less dense than cooler water.
El Nino water is less salty because of all the rain that falls on it.
2.
From the above passage we can infer that:
c) El Nino causes warm ocean water to flow down hill from the Western to
the Eastern Pacific and back again.
3.
Look at this diagram of the changes in the path of the jet stream from a
normal year to an El Nino year. Keeping in mind that the jet stream divides
the cold Arctic air from the warm equatorial air, and that it is usually raining
over El Nino waters, how do you think the weather will be affected?
a)
in Peru (on the west coast of South America)
It will be rainy in Peru when El Nino is near.
b)
in the continental United States
It will be warmer than usual when El Nino is by South America
CLN Televised Courses
GED Science
Nina Beegle, Instructor
GED Science
Lesson 5: Weather Systems / Weather Forecasts - Worksheet
You have probably noticed that weather can change dramatically overnight.
One day is hot, humid and drizzling, and the next day is clear and dry. It feels as if
the air has changed. In fact, the air has changed. One large body of air has replaced
another.
AIR MASSES
Large areas of air near Earth’s surface take on the same temperature and
moisture as the surface. For example, the air over a tropical ocean becomes warm
and humid. A large body of air with a specific temperature and moisture is called an
air mass. The term used to describe an air mass tells you where it came from.
The word continental refers to a continent. The word maritime refers to the sea.
There are four types of air masses:
Continental polar air masses are cold and dry. They form over Canada and the
Northern United States.
Continental tropical air masses are warm and dry. They form over
southwestern United States.
Maritime polar air masses form over the northern Atlantic Ocean and the
northern Pacific Ocean. These air masses are cold and moist.
Maritime tropical air masses form over the Caribbean Sea, the middle of the
Atlantic Ocean, and the middle of the Pacific Ocean. These air masses are warm and
moist.
Air masses do not stay where they form. They may move thousands of miles.
Think of a moving air mass as a large flattened bubble of air. In the United States,
air masses are usually pushed from west to east by winds. As the air mass moves, it
may keep nearly the same temperature and moisture.
Fronts
The weather changes when one air mass moves out of an area and another
moves in. The leading edge of a moving air mass is called a front. A cold front is at
the front of a cold air mass. A warm front is at the front of a warm air mass. The
weather can change quickly when a front passes through. A front often brings rain or
snow to an area as it passes. When air masses stop moving for a while, the zone
between them is called a stationary front.
GED Science: Lesson 5 - Weather Systems/Weather Forecasts p. 2
What does a Weather Map Show?
Most newspapers print a weather map each day. A weather map shows
where cold, warm and stationary fronts are. It shows temperature and
precipitation, such as rain, snow, and sleet.
Weather maps also show areas of high and low pressure. These areas of
pressure are important because certain types of weather go with each. Most of the
time, a high pressure means fair weather and no clouds. A low-pressure area is often
cloudy with rain or snow.
High Temperatures and Precipitation for June 28
Reading a Map. When you read a map, look at the title first. That gives you the
main idea of the map. This map shows the weather for June 28, with high
temperatures in degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature scale we usually use in the
United States. It also shows precipitation. Next, look at the map key to see how
information is shown. On this weather map, for example, cold fronts are shown by a
line of triangles. The triangles point in the direction in which the front is moving.
Finally, look at Dallas. Dallas is in the shaded area that shows places with a high
temperature in the 90s. There is no precipitation shading over Dallas. On this day
Dallas is very hot and dry.
GED Science: Lesson 5 - Weather Systems/Weather Forecasts p. 3
Questions:
1.
The symbol for a warm front looks like
a. a row of semicircles.
b. a row of triangles.
2.
3.
The city closest to a warm front is
a. Fargo
b.
Chicago
A cold air mass is behind a cold front. The high temperature in the cold air
mass over the western United States is in the
a. 80s and 90s.
b. 60s and 70s.
Weather Forecasts
Meteorologists are scientists who study the weather. Meteorologists study
present weather conditions. Then they decide where the air masses and fronts will
probably be the next day. From this data they forecast, or predict, the next day’s
weather. Suppose a meteorologist in Dallas studied the June 28 map. Her forecast
for the next day might have said the high temperature would again be in the 90s
and there would be no rain. Look at the map for June 29 below. Was the forecast
correct?
High Temperatures and Precipitation for June 29
Making Predictions. Like a meteorologist, you can us what you know to predict
what will happen to the weather. Look at the map for June 28. In the upper right,
there is a cold front moving south toward the northeastern United Sates. Now look
GED Science: Lesson 5 - Weather Systems/Weather Forecasts p. 4
at the map for June 29. The cold front has reached Boston. You can predict that
soon the high temperature in the Boston area will drop from the 80s to the 70s.
Use the map to answer these questions.
1.
What is the weather like in New York City on June 29?
a. high temperature in the 70s, rain
b. high temperature in the 90s, dry
2.
What kind of weather would you predict for New York City on June 30?
a. high temperature in the 70s, dry
b. high temperature in the 90s, rain
People often make jokes about the accuracy of weather forecasts. Yet,
meteorologists are pretty good at predicting tomorrow’s weather. However, their
long-range forecasts are not so accurate. Many factors can affect the weather. So,
forecasting more than a few days in advance involves guessing as well as predicting.
Practice Vocabulary
The words below are in the passage in bold type. Study the way each word is used.
Then complete each sentence by writing the correct word.
air mass
precipitation
stationary front
meteorologists
front
forecast
weather map
1. A large body of air with similar temperature and moisture is called a(n)
.
2. The edge of a moving air mass is called a(n)
3. A(n)
is a prediction about the weather.
4. Scientists who study weather are called
5. A(n)
weather.
.
.
can be used to help predict the coming
6. The zone between air masses that have stopped moving is called a(n)
.
7. Rain and snow are the most common forms of
.
GED Science: Lesson 5 - Weather Systems/Weather Forecasts p. 5
Understand the Article
Match the air mass with its characteristics. You may have more than one answer for
each air mass.
Air mass
Characteristic
8. continental polar
a. cold
9. continental tropical
b. warm
10. maritime polar
c. dry
11. maritime tropical
d. moist
Write the answer to each question.
12.In what directions does weather in the United States generally move?
.
13.Why are long-range weather forecasts often inaccurate?
.
Apply Your Skills
Circle the number of the best answer for each question.
14.On a weather map, there is a line of alternating triangles and half circles
pointing in opposite directions. Look at the map key on page 2. What does
this symbol indicate?
(1) cold front
(2) warm front
(3) stationary front
(4) high-pressure area
(5) precipitation
15.Refer to the map for June 28 on page 2. In which city are people most likely
to be going?
(1) Seattle
(2) San Francisco
(3) Los Angeles
(4) New York
(5) Detroit
Excerpted from Steck-Vaughn’s PreGED Science
Steck-Vaughn Publishers
CLN Televised Courses
GED Science
Nina Beegle, Instructor
GED Science
Lesson 5: Weather Systems/Weather Forecasts
Worksheet Answer Key
Reading a Map
Questions:
1.
The symbol for a warm front looks like
a . a row of semicircles.
2.
The city closest to a warm front is
a . Fargo
3.
A cold air mass is behind a cold front. The high temperature in the cold air
mass over the western Unites Sates is in the
b . 60s and 70s.
Weather Forecasts
Making Predictions
1.
What is the weather like in New York City on June 29?
2.
What kind of weather would you predict for New York City on June 30?
a . high temperature in the 70s, dry
b . high temperature in the 90s, dry
Practice Vocabulary
1. air mass
4. meteorologists
7. precipitation
2. front
5. weather map
3. forecast
6. stationary front
Understand the Article
Match the air mass with its characteristics. You may have more than one answer for
each air mass.
8.
9.
10.
11.
a,
b,
a,
b,
c
c
d
d
Write the answer to each question.
12. from west to east
13. There are too many factors affecting the weather over a long period of time
for accurate predictions to be possible.
GED Science: Lesson 5 - Weather Systems/Weather Forecasts Key p. 2
Apply Your Skills
Circle the number of the best answer for each question.
14.On a weather map, there is a line of alternating triangles and half circles
pointing in opposite directions. Look at the map key on page 2. What does
this symbol indicate?
( 3 ) stationary front
15.Refer to the map for June 28 on page 2. In which city are people most likely
to be going?
( 4 ) New York
Excerpted from Steck-Vaughn’s PreGED Science
Steck-Vaughn Publishers
CLN Televised Courses
GED Science
Nina Beegle, Instructor
GED Science
Lesson 5: Weather Systems/Weather Forecasts
Worksheet Answer Key
Reading a Map
Questions:
1.
The symbol for a warm front looks like
a . a row of semicircles.
2.
The city closest to a warm front is
a . Fargo
3.
A cold air mass is behind a cold front. The high temperature in the cold air
mass over the western Unites Sates is in the
b . 60s and 70s.
Weather Forecasts
Making Predictions
1.
What is the weather like in New York City on June 29?
2.
What kind of weather would you predict for New York City on June 30?
a . high temperature in the 70s, dry
b . high temperature in the 90s, dry
Practice Vocabulary
1. air mass
4. meteorologists
7. precipitation
2. front
5. weather map
3. forecast
6. stationary front
Understand the Article
Match the air mass with its characteristics. You may have more than one answer for
each air mass.
8.
9.
10.
11.
a,
b,
a,
b,
c
c
d
d
Write the answer to each question.
12. from west to east
13. There are too many factors affecting the weather over a long period of time
for accurate predictions to be possible.
GED Science: Lesson 5 - Weather Systems/Weather Forecasts Key p. 2
Apply Your Skills
Circle the number of the best answer for each question.
14.On a weather map, there is a line of alternating triangles and half circles
pointing in opposite directions. Look at the map key on page 2. What does
this symbol indicate?
( 3 ) stationary front
15.Refer to the map for June 28 on page 2. In which city are people most likely
to be going?
( 4 ) New York
Excerpted from Steck-Vaughn’s PreGED Science
Steck-Vaughn Publishers